Car-coupling.



*M. B. GIBERSON.

CAR GouPLlNG.

APPLICATION FXLED DEC. 10. 1912. 1,151 ,"G. Patented Aug. 31,1915.

E f un Q Y Erf M. B. GIBERSON. CARCOUPLlNG.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10. |912.

l l 5 l Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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iran srariis narrar armen MASON B. GIBERSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS I-I. SIMPSON, OF

' DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

` CAR-COUILING.

Application filed December 10, 1912.

To all whom t may con cern Be it known that I, MASON B. GrBnRsoN, acitizen of the Uni-ted Statesrof America, residing at Detroit, in thecounty of Iayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Car- Couplings, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention'relates to car couplers of the Janney type, and hasparticular reference, first, to the means employed for locking andunlocking the knuckle; further in the means for opening the knuckle whenunlocked; and further in various features of construction as hereinafterset forth.

In the drawings: Figure l is an elevation of the coupler; Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof, showing the lock-releasing device as actuatedfrom either the top or bottom; Fig. 3 is a similar' view showing thereleasing device at the bottom; Fig. 4L is a horizontal section; andFig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 2, where the top-releasing device isremoved.

Car couplers of the Janney type are provided with swinging knuckles orcoupling hooks of a substantially bell-crank lever form, the hooks beinglocked in closed position by a pin or other locking detent eX- tendinginto the path of movement of the inner' or shank arm of the knuckle.These locking pins are usually actuated from the top of the knuckle,which necessitates the cutting away of the coupler body to form theentrance aperture, and consequently weakening the structure. Vith myimproved construction, I employ a novel form of locking detent which maybe introduced into the body of the coupler in operative relation to theknuckle without materially cutting away or weakening the body structure.Furthermore, the construction is such that the detent may be releasedeither from the bottom or the top, preferably from the former.

In detail, A is the body of the coupler; B the hook or knuckle havingthe rearwardly-extending shank C, which is normally located in a recessin the body; and D is a detent slidably engaging a vertically-extendingrecess E in the coupler body and extending into the path of the arm C soas to prevent the turning thereof.

Specification of Lettersy Patent.

Patented Aug. 3ft, 31915.,

Serial No. 735,925.

In the handling of railway cars it is frequently necessary to unlock thecouplers without opening the hooks, as for instance in shunting cars. Ihave therefore provided a retaining ledge or shoulder F in the recess E,which, when the detent is raised, will support the same and preventrcngagement when the operating lever is released. To raise the detentvinto engagement with this shoulder it may be actuated either from thetop or from the bottom, and to this end is of the followingconstruction: G is a downwardly-extending shank, preferably integralwith the detent D and suitably cut away to clear the arm C of theknuckle. H is a shank preferably formed of a separate member and havinga threaded lower end engaging a correspondingly threaded socket in thedetent. rlhe shank H is provided with a head I having an apertured ear Jfor coupling with a top operating-lever, not shown, where such anactuating device is used. The downwardlyextending shank G is operated bya bellcrank lever K, which is fulcrumed at L at one side of the body andhas a verticallyextending operating arm K, which is axetuated with astraight rod, or other actuating connection, not shown.

`With the construction as thus far described in operation, the detent Dmay be lifted by either the bottom or top actuating device. `When thelever K is actuated, it will bear against the lower end of the shank G,forcing the same upward and carrying the detent to a point above thepath of the arm C. Inasmuch, however, as it is necessary to retain thedetent in this position by engaging it with the ledge F, I have providedthe lever K with a cammed end portion M, which, after lifting the shankG, will force the same laterally, engaging the detent with the shoulderF. A similar lateral movement is effected when the detent is actuated bythe upwardly-extending shank H, by the angular movement of thebell-crank lever or other actuating connection. Where it is desired touse only the bottom actuating device for the detent, the shank H may bedisengaged from the member D, and the opening in the coupler, throughwhich said shank passes, may be stopped by a plug N.

To completely open the knuckle into position for coupling, a lever O, isarranged within the body of the coupler, having one arm P extending overthe top of the detent. Suhicient clearance is provided to permit ofmovement of the detent into engagement with the ledge F withoutactuating the arm O of the lever, but a further upward movement willpress the detent against said arm and swing the lever. The opposite armQ of the lever is so fashioned as to bear upon the swinging arm C of theknuckle, and the arrangement is such that the point of bearing on saidarm Q is initially near the fulcrum of the lever O and upon a bearing onthe arm C at a distance from the fulcrum, thereby giving a powerfulleverage. As the lever O swings, the contact-point travels outward uponthe arm Q and inward upon the arm C, so as to give a progressivelyincreasing speed with diminishing power. This arrangement lessens thework necessary in opening the knuckle, as the greatest force is requiredto start the movement and comparatively little force is required to com`plete the same.

My construction is one which can be applied to any standard coupler ofthe Janney type without material change of construction, and the slightchanges can be made at small expense.

WhatI claim as my invention is:` Y

l. In a car coupler, the combination with a locking detent having adownwardly eX- tending shank, of a lever for engaging said shank toraise said detent, a shoulder for holding the detent in lock setposition, and a cam engagement between said lever and shank for forcingthe detent laterally of the plane of movement of the lever intoengagement with said shoulder.

2. In acar coupler, the combination with a horizontally swinging knuckleand tail or locking arm therefor, of a vertically swinging lever foropening the knuckle, said lever having an arm extending obliquely to itspivotal axis and contacting with the tail of said knuckle, the initialpoint of contact being adjacent to the pivot of the lever and removedfrom the pivot of the knuckle, said point of contact traveling, duringthe opening of the knuckle, toward the pivot thereof and away from thepivot of the lever, the lever being held Xed from tilting movementtransversely of its pivotal axis.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MASON B. GIBERSON. Witnesses:

JAMES P. BARRY, PHYLLIs COLBURN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents eachl by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G'.

